Maul has gone from a criminally underutilized one-off villain in The Phantom Menace to one of the most compelling figures in Star Wars canon — and now he’s finally getting a series of his own.
Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord, the new Disney+ animated series starring Sam Witwer, premieres April 6 with a two-episode debut. New episodes will drop weekly through the May 4 finale.
Mark your calendars and get ready for the all-new series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord. The two-episode premiere is coming to @DisneyPlus on April 6. pic.twitter.com/JZM3c7TytM
— Star Wars (@starwars) March 17, 2026
Across The Clone Wars and Rebels animated series, Maul proved himself to be a relentless survivor — cunning, vengeful and incapable of loyalty (just ask the Mandalorians or Ezra Bridger). What happens when a character like that takes center stage? We’ll find out on April 6.
The first two chapters of the series are titled “The Dark Revenge” and “Sinister Schemes.” New episodes will drop every Monday at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT. For those wondering what to expect, check out the Maul — Shadow Lord trailer below.
Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord Trailer
When Is Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord set in the Star Wars timeline?
According to StarWars.com, the series picks up after the events of The Clone Wars finale in what is described as “an era near the beginning of Emperor Palpatine’s reign.”
When we left Maul last at this point of the timeline, he had been defeated and captured by Ahsoka during the Siege of Mandalore, but knew that the time of the Jedi was rapidly coming to close. Ahsoka needed a distraction following Order 66, so she released Maul to cause chaos, but he in turn used Ahsoka and Rex’s attempted escape from the Clones to steal a ship and make his own bid for freedom.
What you need to know before watching Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord
As Maul notes in the trailer above, the Empire tried to kill him. They failed, and that failure demands consequences (revenge is always top of mind for Maul). It also demands a weapon, and tellingly as he says that an Order 66 survivor is seen striking down stormtroopers. Despite some horror vibes, Maul is making another pitch to a “disillusioned young Jedi Padawan” to join him. But her friend reminds her that while the Empire may be their common enemy, Maul will never be their ally, which if you know Maul’s history at all is pretty spot on. He’s always used people right up until the moment they no longer have value and then cuts his losses.
But, as always, Maul does just enough to convince skeptical parties to trust him at least a little bit, jumping in to help the erstwhile padawan fight off an inquistor. He gains their trust enough for the padawan to help Maul in the fight and it seems as though trailer depicts him saying “let us have our revenge.” The trailer reaches a crescendo with echoes of John Williams’ legendary “Duel of the Fates” from Phantom Menace in the background and an ominously evil laugh from Maul amid all sorts of destruction.
Maul’s outlook — and really the difference in the outlook of a Sith (or former Sith) and a Jedi — is best exemplified in how he views his relationship with the Force. In the past we’ve seen light side believers like Ahsoka and Chirrut Îmwe recite the line, “I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.” Maul, on the other hand, says something much different — “I master the Force and the Force serves me.”
That difference, and the claim of dominion of something that Obi-Wan once told us flows through all living things, shows that just because Maul opposes the Empire, he’s no hero. He may appear to have some of the traits of an anti-hero in this series, but deep down he’s a true villain. One who continues to have a lust for revenge — against Palpatine, against Obi-Wan, against the galaxy as a whole for moving on without him — and is seeking to rebuild the criminal empire he was growing and which we see him rule over in his brief live-action cameo in Solo. You can relieve Maul’s journey from Sith apprentice to crime lord in the video below.
Although the series comes from the creators of Clone Wars and is clearly part of that lineage, StarWars.com notes that the series, which takes place on a planet named Janix, “features stylized animation emblematic of the gritty new cityscape locale of Janix combined with old-school filmmaking methods to capture painterly brushstrokes on glass and other physical elements.”
Described by Executive Producer Matt Michnovetz as an “action-packed thrill ride,” the 10-episode series will be serialized and will add more to the lore of Maul, who we see strike down plenty of troopers and Imperial agents.
Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord FAQ
What time do new episodes of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord drop?
New episodes of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord drop on Mondays at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.
How can I watch new episodes of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord?
Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord — including all of Maul’s appearances in animated series like The Clone Wars and Rebels — is available to stream on Disney+. Clips and behind-the-scenes featurettes are also uploaded to the Star Wars YouTube page.
How many new episodes of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord will drop in season 1?
Season 1 of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord will include 10 episodes, with the season set to conclude on May 4, 2026, aka May the Fourth. The animated series has already been renewed for season 2.
